He established a pattern. He waited for the kid to fall asleep, then ran to his car and graded the kids' homework. He had to find a better way to do both. Even wolves need sleep, sometimes.

He finished, transformed back, and returned to Naruto's side.

The kid's frown melted with a soft sigh when he sniffed and lay next to him. Naruto snuggled into his lap, seeking him even when he slept.

Kakashi nuzzled at the kid's hair and fell asleep.

Naruto woke up and stared at the ceiling.

No work today. He had cash stashed under a tile and his debts erased. Yesterday, Sensei said he could help him get accepted to Konoha.

Nothing made any sense. Naruto turned on his side and lay his head on the dog's large paw. "Morning," he yawned.

The dog opened one tired eye and yawned as well. He licked Naruto's forehead and rumbled something that sounded like a complaint.

Naruto huffed, too tired to chuckle. "Yeah, it's early. But if I'm up, I'm up." He sat up, stretched, and gazed at the clock. His stomach growled. "I think I'll head to school and make myself a sandwich or something. Hatake doesn't have any morning classes, so it's a good opportunity."

The dog sat up, perking his ears and tilting his head.

"I told you, I don't trust that money. I'll spend what I have to." Naruto took off his pajamas and grabbed a pair of pants from his closet. "Maybe I'll wait – Oi, don't look." He shoved the dog's face away and covered his chest.

The dog turned his head away, but his black eye found his. The look in his eye was too intelligent for Naruto's comfort.

Naruto looked away. He felt ashamed. "I'll get a real job and eat real food," he mumbled. "And I'll get you treats. Don't look at me like that." He donned a shirt, his movements hurried and clumsy, and grabbed his backpack. "See ya."

He ran to his bike – that not even thieves would try to steal – and rushed to school. He biked hard, ignoring the burning agony shooting up his legs, tied his bike to a pole, and ran to school. He did not enter through the main doors and instead rushed to the building wall hidden from the main road. He counted windows, constructing the school's structure in his mind, until he finally chose the third one from the right. Iruka always suspected he was up to no good, so he'd probably get all weird if he knew Naruto came to school this early, and Naruto had no patience for that.

All right, he prepared himself. I can do this.

The class was on the third floor, but the windows were structured almost like a ladder. All he had to do was keep his balance and climb. He had done this before – and he was not afraid of the fall.

Naruto climbed, pulling himself up and gritting his teeth. Finally, he reached the stool of the window on the third floor. The most challenging part was the one he faced now – now, he had to open the window from the outside.

Naruto pursed his lips and clung to the wall, then stretched his arm down – as far as he could reach – and managed to snake one finger under the lower grille. He struggled, holding on to the window's frame with all his might, and pulled.

The window, after a short struggle, gave way. It slid up an inch, and Naruto breathed in relief.

Oldschools and low budget.

He stretched even lower, ignoring the pain shooting from his shoulder, and pushed his finger into the small space created by his earlier efforts. He grunted – and pushed the window halfway up.

Heh. Piece o' cake.

Naruto pushed the window all the way up and turned his body, so he landed on the window's stool. His eyes focused on the back of the class, searching for the food that was always there –

"Good morning, Uzumaki."

Naruto jumped, startled, to find Mr. Hatake sitting on his desk with his legs crossed, reading a book. The man gazed up –

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Naruto lost his balance.

He fell.

He fell backward.

Fuck.

A hand gripped the collar of his shirt and pulled. An arm, strong and unyielding, gripped his waist and balanced him.

Naruto gazed up – his heart drumming in his ears and his throat, sending tremors through his muscles – and found himself face to face with his sensei.

His face was mere inches from Naruto's. Sensei's lashes, he noted absentmindedly, really did curl downward. For a moment, Naruto could not breathe.

His hands gripped the man's shoulders, knuckles white. Adrenalin pulsed through him.

Mr. Hatake stared back, stoic and disinterested as usual. "You know, that's why most people use the door."

Naruto could not look away. His mind was blank. Sensei's arm still held his waist with an iron grip. "Boring people," he managed. His mouth was dry.

Mr. Hatake cocked one brow. The gesture was expressive enough to send Naruto's blood rushing to his head. The teacher pulled his collar and helped him land safely on the classroom floor. His arm released his waist.

The man stepped back, and Naruto had to resist the urge to step forward. "What are you doing here?" he blurted.

Mr. Hatake gazed back, impassive. "In my classroom?"

Naruto's eyes flickered to the sandwich table. He flinched. "Now, I mean."

The teacher still looked at him. He sighed and walked, his pace slow and casual, to the table. "I set my office hours during zero period." He took out two slices of bread and opened the peanut butter jar.

Naruto swallowed and looked away. He stood, plastered against the wall. His waist still burned where the teacher held him; his muscles still shook. His hand gripped his neck and pulled on the collar, just where Sensei grabbed him. He did not know what to do.

The teacher opened the strawberry jam and spread it evenly. "I understand you did not come to see me," he said.

Naruto's cheeks flushed. He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "Um," he tried and failed to think of an excuse.

The man walked toward him. He placed a plate with two sandwiches and a water bottle on his desk. "Never mind. I wanted to speak to you, actually. Grab a chair." He indicated the spot next to the food.

Naruto swallowed again. He did as he was told, approaching the desk cautiously. He sat and gazed up at the teacher, who was busy ruffling through a pile of papers on his desk.

Naruto's eyes were wide, and his mouth slightly parted.

What the fuck was going on.

"I did not make this sandwich for me," the man said. His eye flickered up and met Naruto's. "Eat."

He looked away.

Naruto's heart drummed for a different reason. He did not eat in the company of others for a reason. He did not want them to know how hungry he was. Shame bled through his skin, coloring him red. "I'm fine," he mumbled.

The man retrieved a bunch of stapled papers. He looked up. "I need you to focus. If you can't, I am wasting my time."

Naruto's scowled and looked down. His throat tightened. "I said I'm fine," he hissed.

The teacher still looked at him, unaffected by how stubbornly Naruto looked away. "Do you want something else?" he asked quietly. "You never said how you liked your sandwich."

Naruto growled.

The teacher, for the first time, looked surprised. He blinked, then leaned back and angled his head, exposing his neck.

He had… a very nice neck. Pale and defined, full of long lines and sharp angles and –

Naruto burned red. He looked away, eyes wide and breath quickened, grabbed a sandwich, and tore a bite. He wanted to take just one bite, just to show him he really was fine, but hunger won. He swallowed and devoured the rest of the sandwich, finishing the entire thing in less than a minute –

And froze. His eyes snapped up, cheeks red and fists clenched, but the teacher wasn't looking at him. His sharp eye was focused on his book. He leaned his head on his hand, creating a barrier between them, and read.

Naruto grabbed the water bottle and drank, still staring at the man. He waited, cautious and agitated, torn between anger and hunger, but the man did not glance up.

He picked up the second half of the sandwich, bit, and managed, somehow, to chew before he swallowed. He kept his eyes trained on his teacher, but the man did not move, except when he flipped a page.

He had long, expressive fingers.

Naruto choked on the last bite. He coughed, ears burning red, and gulped the entire contents of the water bottle in one go. He finished, embarrassed and uncertain, but the teacher did not react. Naruto scowled to hide his nervousness. "What'd you want?"

Mr. Hatake stirred. He put down his book and lifted the stack of papers he had fished out before. "Your homework, Uzumaki." He put them in front of him and pointed to the list of answers. "I can't accept that."

"I didn't cheat," Naruto snapped. His eyes flashed with rage, and his chest tightened, breathless and furious. And to think he thought, even for a moment, that the man was different –

Mr. Hatake lifted his hand, palm open. "I believe you," he said gently.

Naruto stared, eyes wide. His fist, which he did not realize he clenched, relaxed. He blinked, ashamed of his earlier outburst, and looked down. Lips parted, he hesitated and kept his silence.

The man leaned his head on his hand, gazing at him with his one undecipherable eye. "Homework is assigned as practice. You earn a grade based on the quality of the efforts, not their results. You need to show your work."

Naruto crossed his arms. "I didn't do any work," he muttered, gazing at his shoes. "I just… know the answer."

The man hmmed. He took out a notebook with graphing paper and offered it to him. "I understand. However, you will be tested in the future by others who might not be so willing to believe you, and the only way to prove you know the material is to show them." He set the homework questions in front of him.

Naruto hesitated. His eyes flickered up, then away. He pursed his lips to hide his pout.

"I'm not saying that the way you think is wrong," Mr. Hatake added. "Quite the opposite. But sometimes, to communicate ideas and knowledge, you need to speak the language of those around you."

Naruto frowned. He was unsure he understood what the teacher meant, but he did not seem to accuse him of copying his answers, so maybe… "I don't know the other way," he blurted a confession. He swallowed with difficulty and gritted his teeth.

"Well," the man said with a crooked, tight-lipped smile, "that's why I'm here, isn't it?"

Naruto's eyes snapped up – searching for anything, any sign that the teacher was evil and cruel and not to be trusted – but the eye that gazed back, as undecipherable and opaque as always, seemed warm.

He nodded and scratched his nose self-consciously. His cheeks heated.

So Mr. Hatake explained, and Naruto listened. He showed each step and the logic behind it, and – and it was so easy. It did not take long for Naruto to mutter 'got it' and solve the rest of the questions alone.

The man observed his work, and even though he said nothing, his silent presence was, for some reason, calming. He soothed Naruto's agitated mind.

Too many things had happened, and it was not yet eight in the morning.

He finished and offered the man his new homework.

Mr. Hatake accepted the notebook, opened it, and scribbled something inside. He offered it back. "Keep the notebook."

Naruto blinked. He grabbed it without thinking and stared at the teacher. He gulped. "Can I go?"

Mr. Hatake leaned back. "Of course," he said casually. "I'll see you in third."

Naruto yanked his backpack on one shoulder and fled.

Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair.

This was more difficult than he expected. The way the kid spoke about him when he was in wolf form made him think he had already taken a liking to him. Not enough, apparently. He sighed and leaned back, then huffed a smile.

The boy growled at him.

I'm a bad influence, he chuckled. The sound was a pretty good imitation of his own growls when he tried to tell the boy to back off. However, his instinctive reaction of surrender appeased the kid enough to convince him to eat in his presence. Yet even then, he watched him so closely, suspicious and jumpy.

Like a stray, but he had experience with strays. He had eight.

He did not expect the kid to come through the window.

He did not expect him to stumble.

Kakashi's stomach turned when he remembered the look in the boy's eyes when he lost his footing and fell. Had the kid trusted him more, he would have pulled him into his arms – anything to erase that wide-eyed fear, pale and desperate.

His breakthrough with the boy, however, meant his plan to ambush him was not entirely pointless. The kid asked him for help, after a fashion, and – for about ten minutes, accepted it. This was an improvement. I should not push him, he thought. I need to prove myself to him. He still does not trust me.

An idea flashed through his mind. He opened his computer and clicked on the kid's grade book. As expected, his GPA was low – far too low for him to be accepted to any good university, let alone Konoha. But even that was a challenge he could solve. If he could get the university to look only at his senior year's grades and get the kid to come to him for tutoring… and feed him. Naruto did not lie when he said he was mostly ribs. He looked almost skeletal.

Ramen and sandwiches were not going to cut it but bringing him a homemade lunch was still out of the question. That was another problem he had yet to solve.

Kids started entering the classroom. Some of them greeted him, and Kakashi greeted them back.

Teaching was a pain in the ass.

He was not new to teaching, but he was used to grad students – sharp and already exceptional in their field. He never had to deal with ignorance or a lack of aptitude. He never had to slow down. Or repeat himself.

Kakashi sighed and got up. That Uchiha brat better be worth it.

First and second periods passed by. It was time to move on with his plan.

Kids entered his domain, already tired out by the long school day. This class was his least favorite, despite containing both of his targets. The students were slow and cruel, but kids are kids; they could still be inspired to change.

Sasuke sat in his usual place, sitting in the front row in the corner, glaring at the window, and ignoring the rest of the class. Haruno walked toward the seat next to him, hesitating and blushing –

"Haruno," he called, smiling when she froze on the spot. "I would like to save this seat, if you don't mind."

He noticed Naruto had trouble focusing when he sat in the back; the scent of the food must be the source of his agitation. If he could get the kid to concentrate by placing him next to his rival and his crush, well…

The girl turned beet red and fled.

The rest of the class followed suit. The seat remained empty.

Sasuke glared at him instead of the window.

Kakashi waited.

And, once again, Naruto was late.

The kid walked in with an odd look in his eyes, something between suspicion and confusion, and slunk to the back of the room.

"Uzumaki," he called.

The kid flinched. He turned his head with a glare that barely masked the hesitation he felt. The fear of rejection.

Kakashi snapped his finger and pointed to the seat next to Uchiha.

The kid's glare intensified, as did his confusion.

"Eh?!" cried Haruno in dismay. "You saved this seat just for him? It's not fair, Sensei!"

Kakashi turned to look at her. "Hmm. It is, isn't it? That's life." He smiled.

The girl glared, disgruntled.

It seemed a lot of his students glared at him today. His smile widened.

He gazed at the blond kid – his eyes were no longer distrusting, but hesitant. And hopeful. He closed his mouth, shoved his hands into his pockets, and made his way to the available seat. He sat next to Sasuke, dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor, and glanced in the other kid's direction. The bridge of his nose bloomed red.

Kakashi gave two of the students the pile of homework to hand out.

"We're going to start the lesson with a game," he said casually. "As a way to review yesterday's material. I will randomly call out two students and ask them a question. The student who answered correctly first will win a point. The first student to create a lead of three points wins the round."

The class stirred – some nervously, some in determination. Sasuke, he noted, tensed, eyes flashing, and smirked. Naruto folded his arms and rested his head, hiding, but his shoulders were also tense. He was listening intently.

Good, Kakashi thought. I prepared this game for you, kid.

Haruno raised her hand. "What's the prize, Sensei?" Her eyes gleamed excitedly.

Kakashi smiled. "A note that says 'I believe in you.'"

Naruto looked up.

Haruno tilted her head in confusion, and Yamanaka huffed. "Eh?! That's lame!"

"Is it? My, my, you kids are hard to please." He smiled.

Haruno colored pink, but Yamanaka rolled her eyes.

"Well, let's start, shall we?" he said, leaning against his desk. "Haruno and Yamanaka. Pay attention to the board."

This was going to be interesting.

Despite the lameness of the prize, the kids were up to the task. The two girls fought intently, scribbling and calculating furiously, until – after a surprisingly long match – Haruno won. Hyuga defeated Akimichi with predictable ease. Aburame lost to Sasuke and then gave a lengthy answer as to why all his defeat was expected.

Kakashi chose the pairs carefully. Sasuke was wound up by watching others struggle to solve questions that were trivial for him and therefore shot the answers in a showy, restless manner when he was finally given a chance to shine.

Which meant Naruto was now just as fired up. He wanted Sasuke to acknowledge him, so losing was not an option. Kakashi hoped he was motivated enough to take on an old bully. Face him and see yourself for what you truly are, kid. Believe in yourself.

"Inuzuka and Uzumaki," he called. "You're up."

"Heh, that's gonna be easy," exclaimed Inuzuka, leaning back in his chair.

Naruto gritted his teeth and tensed, curling into himself.

"Obviously. Uzumaki will kick your ass."

The class stared, silent and shocked, at Sasuke. The kid leaned on his steepled hands, his expression as cold as ever – no. Not as cold as before. The kid glanced at the shocked, blushing boy to his right, with a muted challenge glaring in his eyes.

Naruto blinked, then grinned back. The same fire that burned in Sasuke's eyes now burned in his.

"Shut up, Uchiha," Inuzuka yelled from the back. His smirk was gone, however, and his response was weak.

Naruto was right. Everyone seemed to fear and admire Sasuke.

"Yes, yes." Kakashi sighed, his expression as tired and disinterested as before. "Let's start, shall we?"

He posted the first question.

Naruto's hand shot up. "One-sided limit," he declared. His blue eyes were ardent and met his fearlessly. Good.

"Correct." Kakashi clicked on the next question. "Go."

Naruto's hand burst up again. "e."

Inuzuka spluttered.

"Correct. Next."

Naruto's hand shot up so quickly that it must have hurt. "Infinity."

"Correct again. Haruno, Hyuga, you're up."

He could not smile since he was the teacher, so he glanced at the kid from the corner of his eye instead.

Naruto, finally, sat up straight. It seemed he had yet to digest what just happened. He still breathed too quickly, his eyes shone, his jaw was clenched – he looked up, his eyes torn between happiness and confusion – bright and vulnerable and unmarred –

Kakashi decided it was safe, so he offered him a short, tight-lipped smile.

The kid's cheeks burned red. He looked away, as if caught in the act, and met Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke's eyes were sharp as they challenged the soft blue. Naruto blinked and, after a short moment of hesitation, grinned back.

Good.

Haruno won but lost to Sasuke.

Finally.

"Uchiha, Uzumaki. The final two," he declared.

The two were practically buzzing with energy. They gazed at the board, eyes hard and smirks sharp.

"Bet it's gonna be over quickly, too," Inuzuka barked from the back. "The school's idiot versus the genius. It's not even a question."

Kakashi wondered if he should follow through with his threat or wait to see how things turned out. He chose the latter. "First question. Go."

Sasuke's hand flickered up first. The correct answer rolled off his tongue.

"Heh, told you." Inuzuka smirked. "Once an idiot, always an idiot."

Naruto swallowed hard. The conviction evaporated from his eyes and faded from his shoulders. He looked down.

"And what does that make you?" objected Haruno. "He defeated you in three seconds flat, asshole."

Kakashi kept his expression neutral. "Correct. Next question."

Again, Sasuke's hand shot up first. He answered and glared at Naruto, clearly displeased.

He had to do something. "Correct again. The next question will be a bit more challenging, but I believe in you." He clicked. "Start."

Those words must have had a magic effect on Naruto because the gleam returned to his eyes. His hand, finally, shot up. His tone was quiet when he answered.

Kakashi smiled. "Correct. Next."

Naruto's confidence grew. He lifted his hand again and declared the answer.

Sasuke scoffed, but the small smirk that graced his lips betrayed him.

"Correct. Next."

This time, Sasuke's hand shot up. The kids, roused by each other's skill and challenging grins, fought tooth and nail for every question he posted. Sasuke's strength was clearly in the field of theorems and proofs; Naruto excelled in the abstract and anything he could visualize. Together, they were brilliant.

Kakashi reached the end of the PowerPoint. "Well, that's it. No one won. I suppose I can keep the prize, then," he said dryly. "Still, I am very pleased with your efforts – "

"One more question, Sensei."

Kakashi looked up.

Naruto gazed back, challenging and defiant.

Hmm. Letting either of them win would not necessarily be in his favor. His original design – and prize – was meant for Naruto, but after seeing him and Sasuke battle… Keeping the score balanced was, by far, a better way to push them both – toward him and toward each other. Still, refusing the boy was, he discovered, surprisingly difficult. His eyes were harsh and demanding, but his knuckles were white and vulnerable.

And Sasuke… Sasuke flinched, his body tense and rigid. His hand gripped his shoulder. He was as pale as Naruto was this morning. His eyes, just for a moment, flickered red.

Soon. Very soon, he will begin to transform. He would have to start following him more closely, which meant that he had to get Naruto used to his absence.

But that gave him an idea – how to gauge Sasuke and expose his expertise in other fields to Naruto. Sasuke was clever; if he knew about the transformations, he would figure out the message hidden within the deception, and Naruto needed hard proof.

Kakashi hmmed. "Very well. A tie-breaker, then. All of you can participate, if you want."

Yamanaka rolled her eyes again and flickered her long, pearl-colored hair. "What's the point? We can't compete with them."

Naruto blinked, perhaps surprised to be counted along with Sasuke. Sasuke still did not move.

"Oh, that question won't be about math." Kakashi smiled, sat, and typed. "Write your answer on a piece of paper and submit it. You have five minutes." And he clicked, posting the question.

The great Overdog

That heavenly beast

With a star in one eye

Gives a leap in the east.

In a pack of ten, I shine the brightest.

Who am I?

The class was silent, and then Yamanaka complained. "Eh? Wrong subject, Sensei!"

"Is it?" Kakashi smiled at the girl. "I believe you will find that most mathematicians are experts in many fields."

The girl rolled her eyes. Again. "You're just a math teacher, Sensei. That doesn't count."

Kakashi still smiled. "Oh, I'm not a teacher." He opened his book and pretended to read.

Haruno tore her gaze from the board. "What are you, then?" She blinked at him curiously.

Kakashi pointed to the riddle, eye glued to the page.

Some of the kids stared, eyes glassy and expressions tired. Two actively played with their phones. Inuzuka pretended to sleep. Akimichi finished his second sandwich. Yamanaka appeared to be doing her nails.

Haruno and Sasuke stared intently at the screen. Naruto was scribbling furiously.

Huh.

"Time's up! Those who answered, turn in your paper."

About half the class submitted their work. They mumbled and muttered as he reviewed their answers. They were puzzled by him, which was good. Confusion meant they did not know how to react to him, so they paid attention. And obeyed.

Naruto's answer gave him pause. His heart raced as his breath froze in his chest. He forced himself to unclench his fists. Did the kid already figure him out?

"All right," he declared, still slouching in his chair. "I am willing to accept three answers as correct, but only one will be the winner." Only one got it right. Once again, the class sat quietly and listened intently. Perhaps all of them wanted someone to tell them he believed in them? He did not expect such motivation. Or perhaps, he thought sardonically, it was just their love of drama. "Uchiha. Explain your answer."

The kid looked better. The color returned to his face, and he no longer held his shoulder, so the pain probably disappeared. "Canis Major," he grumbled. "Also known as the great dog constellation. It's obvious from the poem."

Kakashi hmmed. "True, the poem is about the constellation, but not the riddle." He noted the surprise that flashed like lightning in the kid's black eyes; it was more likely, then, that he did not know. "Uzumaki."

He focused his gaze on the kid. He could not allow his emotions to control him. He kept his clenched fist hidden, and his body relaxed and unassuming.

The kid glared back. "I drew my dog," he mumbled and slumped in his chair.

Kakashi blinked. "Ah. I see." He said as casually as he could. His heart drummed in his ears, but the boy's eyes were innocent. He did not know. Surely, this was just Naruto being Naruto. Surely, he had yet to figure out… what should have been quite obvious at this point.

Haruno frowned. "You drew your own dog? Why?"

The kid shrugged and curled further into himself. He hid his pout with a scowl.

"Well, I will accept that. It's pretty good, actually." Kakashi flicked the paper and calmed his breaths. "Can I keep it?"

The kid lay his arms on the table and hid his face. "Whatever."

Kakashi gazed at himself in wolf form. The kid drew him so well, sharingan and all. He knew, instinctively, that he had to get rid of the drawing for that evidence alone.

He hid the drawing in his book.

"And finally, Haruno." He looked up, meeting the pink-haired girl's surprised gaze.

She blushed. "Oh. Um. Sirius. That's because the Canis Major has ten stars, and Sirius is the… brightest."

Kakashi smiled in response. "That is correct. Good job, Haruno." He got up and walked toward her, offering her the slip of paper, then returned to his chair. "Well, let's start the lesson, shall we?"

He could not get the picture Naruto drew out of his mind.

Notes:

Hey y'all!

That chapter was a bit longer... hope you liked it!

I was obviously inspired by the chunin exams this time hahaha though I always hated the notion that Naruto and Kiba were on the same level, so I changed it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I know it happened because Orochimaru messed with his seal, but it was still a meh fight for me, esp. when considering the other fights held in the same tournament.

As for Kakashi - shame on you, being all dramatic and scaring the living daylights out of him hahaha I'm kidding I loved it

Anyways, that's it for now. What'd you think? Let me know - your reviews make my day!

See you next Friday!